Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-09-16
THE HoUSEKEEpER.
Ho,nc-Made Hard SoaD,

Home Made Hard SouD,
a gentleman of considerable experience
Win soaps says in regard to the new
method of rubbing soap on clothes, rolling
them up, and letting them lie an hour
under water, that the same result may be
ontalned BY using any pure soap, says
Farm and Fireside. 1t is certainly an
improvement on the old way Of soaking
clothes over night. A pure soap is of the
greatest Importance, ana the surest way to
OBTAIN pure soap is to make it yourself,
and this can be done in any private family
without great inconvenience or exertion,
and it is not necessary that the house or
even the kitchen should be filed with an
unpleasant odor.
we Will suppose that the fat has all been
carefully fried cut and strained, and ser.
want can do this as the grease accumu-
lates, never allowing it to become tainted.
II you will save your old tomato cans YOU
VIII ind them great convenience to strain
your grease into, as two of them will hold
hve pounds, Just enough to use with one
box of potash.
For the two tomato cans of grease, or
hve pounds in cakes, you will need one box
pan or kettle IAN old dish-pan will answer
II you have not q suitable kettle) eight
quarts OF lukewarm water, your cans or
cakes of grease; take the top off the potash
can and put in can and contents, placing
your kettle where it will heat gradually.
When the grease is melted and the potash
dissolved, take out the can and let the
water come to boil, stirring occasionally.
After it has boiled away little, put in two
more quarts of water. It will need to boil
slowly Tor two or three hours before it will
be soap. When it begins to look soapy
throw in two tablespoonfuls of salt, and
boil till smooth again, as the salt may cause
the soap and water to separate at first. If
your kettle gets too hot by any chance and
is likely to run over, throw in little cold
water and set in cooler place. When you
think it is done, take out little in saucer
and try it, like jelly, by cooling it. If it
separates, put it back, and dip out some
more and try putting q little cold water in
while stirring it. If that thickens it you
will know that more water is needed, and
you can put in quart of cold water; stir it
we'll and try some again, if it hardens when
cool it is all right. A little experience will
soon enable you to tell just what it needs.
If you do not have water enough for the
proportion Of potash, it will separate even
after it has boiled sufficiently. If it does
not separate or harden on being cooled
there is too much water, and you must boil
it down more. When it is just right, pour
box, divided into sections the size for bars,
is very convenient. It should be deep
enough to make thick bars, as the soap
will dry away greatly. When you put the
soap away see that you have it in light,
airy place or it will turn dark. It will pre-
serve it's shape better if you do not pile it
up while it is soft. Five pounds of grease
will make fourteen large bars of soap, and
as your potash can be bought for 10 or II
cents, it will not cost you penny bar,
and you will have the satisfaction of know
ing that it is pure and Of excellent cloans-
ing properties.
| Household Hints.
NEVER have dark furniture in the
kitchen; it shows dust muck more than
light, and requires double the care.
WHEN laid away for any length of time
linen should be washed, rough dried with
out bluing, and laid in loose folds without
much weight on it.
In preparing peaches for canning always
cut them in half and remove the stone be-
fore pairing, as they are much less likely to
be bruised and broken.
FISH GLUE is not so generally appreci-
ated in household as it deserves. 1t will
mend either furniture, glass. or china, this
last so we'll that the articles can be used
constantly, if little care is used in the
washing.
APRETTY match safe may be made by
gliding two new clay smoking pipes, cross
ing the stems, and tying with some bright
shade of ribbon They are nice to insert
in the ring under the hanging-lamp, the
stems pointing opposite ways and tied to
the ring with ribbon, or securely tied to-
gether and hung from the gas. The bowls
are useful to hold matches.
To TEST drinking water for impurities,
and "about this time" is a good time to do
it, drop grain Of permanganate of potassa
into glass of the water, and if it colors it
dirty or muddy color, or brown, it is not
fit for man, beast, or poultry, and is proba..
bly, loaded with germs Of typhoid and
aiphtheria. Seek a new supply at once,
and, pending the finding of one, boil the
water for half an hour, and cool before
drinking. Be particularly suspicious OF
well-water that is sparkling or effervescing.
THE COOK.